My Way
by Pop the Question
Summary: Edward wants to marry Izzy.  Izzy wants the proposal to be the way their life will be.  Will interfering friends and relatives allow that to happen?


Pop the Question Contest Entry

Title: My Way

Word Count : 5,219

Pairing: Edward & Bella

Rating: M

Summary: Edward wants to marry Izzy. Izzy wants the proposal to be the way their life will be. Will interfering friends and relatives allow that to happen?

Warnings: N/A

**My Way**

I was nervous, very nervous. I have dreamed of this day all my life, asking Isabella to be my wife. The thing is, as much as I dream of making her my wife, I never actually thought about how I would ask her to be my wife. In my mind, it was a foregone conclusion she would say yes. We have been in love since that day on the playground in kindergarten.

_My family was new to Forks, we moved over the summer. My father, Carlisle, was the new surgeon and my mother, Esme, is an interior designer. She is more selective with her clients since having kids though and makes sure to not be away from home on weeknights. My younger sister, Alice, was three when we moved and spoiled rotten, like the princess costume she dressed up in._

_That first day of school, I heard the whispers and noticed the stares sent the new kid's way, my way. I was at a table with a pretty brown haired girl with brown eyes, a blonde haired boy, and a girl that wouldn't stop smiling and blinking at me. During coloring time they told me their names; Isabella, Michael, and Lauren. Michael didn't seem to like Lauren blinking at me and I didn't like it either but didn't want to seem rude by asking her to stop._

_After lunch we went outside for recess, Michael started yelling at me for looking at Lauren. The other kids gathered around watching him yell at me. I had no idea what to say, I wasn't looking at her but it seemed rude to say I didn't like her with her standing right there. Another boy, a big boy, came up and asked if I was being mean to the girls, I shook my head. Michael didn't like that and pushed me saying I was staring at Lauren. The big boy stood over me like he was going to hit me and I was scared I was going to cry my first day of school._

"_Hey, you leave him alone Mike Newton." I knew it was a girl but that's it. "If you touch him Emmett McCarty I'm telling your momma." People were being pushed out of the way and then I saw her, my avenging angel, Isabella. Emmett stepped back at her threat but not Michael, so she pushed him back._

_A teacher had finally noticed and was making her way over to see what was happening. She wasn't quick enough; Isabella pushed Michael again before whispering to him. "If you touch Edward again I'll have my daddy arrest you for salt and batteries and put you in jail." She reached out and grabbed my hand. "Come on Edward, you can push me on the swing."_

_She was called out into the hall and got in trouble for pushing Michael down; I tried to tell her I was sorry for getting her in trouble. "You didn't get me in trouble Edward, what he did was wrong. He's just worried Lauren will want to play doctor with you instead of him. I won't allow that Edward, you're mine, no playing doctor with Lauren. I plan on marrying you one day."_

_I went home that day and told my parents I meet the girl I was going to marry one day. When they asked how I knew she was the one, I was honest and told them because she told me so. I didn't understand why they were laughing._

I looked around the meadow, the weatherman said it wouldn't rain today and I prayed he was right. It would take most of day to set everything up; rain would ruin all of my plans. I unpack the first load from the golf cart, as I start placing the twinkle lights in the trees I think about two things. One, I hope these solar lights will work tonight if it is cloudy today. Two, the fifth grade dance, when I first kissed Isabella.

_After that first day we stuck like glue to each other, we stuck up for each other, we became best friends. The Chief would drop Isabella off at my house when he was called in during the night. Those nights were the best, I would wake up in the morning to find her in the kitchen talking to my mom, and eating pancakes in Hello Kitty pj's with bird nest hair. I learned quickly that as long as I didn't tease her about how she looked in the morning she wouldn't tease me about my bed head and Harry Potter pj's._

_We were perfect for each other, we kept each other's secrets, and we could pick on each other but didn't allow anyone else to pick on us. We were best friends. We did everything together. We were partners for class projects, buddies on field trips, and spent most holidays together. We spent almost every day together during the summer. Her mom left when she was a baby, so my mom watched her while the Chief was at work._

_Over the years Emmett McCarty became a good friend to both of us. In third grade Emmett and I got into an argument on the playground over who was better, Han Solo or Luke Skywalker. He managed to get me in a headlock before the teacher's broke it up. Izzy was mad, I loved that I was the only one to call her Isabella or Izzy, and she ask my mom if we could make a stop on the way to my house. When we pulled into a driveway, Emmett and Michael were in the front yard, I begged Izzy not to do anything. Emmett looked scared as she knocked on the door. By now my mom had gotten out of me what happened at school and was stepping out of the car as Mrs. McCarty opened the door for Izzy._

_Thirty minutes later we were eating milk and cookies in Emmett's kitchen after apologizing and promising to all play nice with each other. That was the beginning of a friendship with him that is stronger than ever today. On the way home my mom asks Izzy why she felt she needed to tell Mrs. McCarty about the fight._

"_I warned Emmett several times to leave Tony alone or I would tell on him, he didn't listen so I had to tell. No one picks on my Tony and gets away with it. I'm going to marry him one day and married people take care of each other, like you and Mr. Carlisle. He doesn't let people pick on me either. He takes care of me and I take care of him." Mom nodded and drove home as I held Izzy's hand in the backseat._

_That night mom made me tell dad about the fight and he had a man-to-man talk with me later. I was to try to settle things without fighting and I was to treat Izzy with respect, no being mean to her or making her cry. That was an easy promise to make; I would never do anything to hurt my Izzy. He also asked why she called me Tony. My face was red as I explained she wanted a special name to call me that no one else did, like I called her Izzy. She wanted Eddie but I hate that name so I told her Tony was fine since my middle name is Anthony. Dad ruffled my hair and laughed as he left the room mumbling about maybe we would actually get married._

_The fifth grade dance was the last big thing of the year. It was a big deal because next year we would move up into the middle school. I didn't ask Izzy to go to the dance with me, I didn't have to, everyone knew we would go together. We did everything together._

_She looked really pretty in her blue dress with her hair held back by a blue ribbon. I had never seen any girl look prettier, not even my mom. I told her she looked pretty and she looked at her feet and turned red. She was even prettier than before. Izzy was right, I'm marrying her someday._

_I gave her a flower to wear on her wrist and my dad drove us to the dance. Mostly it was boys on one side and girls on the other side of the gym, but Izzy and I didn't work like that. It took a while for anyone to start dancing and it was mostly just the girls dancing with each other. They played a few slow songs but nobody danced to them. We hung out with Emmett and a few other classmates. The dance was almost over and I really wanted to dance with her, hold her close to me like I had seen my parents dance. The song from the Robin Hood movie started playing; I took her hand and led her out to the floor. We stood there holding hands, swaying back and forth, looking into each other's eyes and I knew she was as scared as I was._

"_I really like you Isabella and not just as my best friend."_

"_I really like you Edward. I'm serious when I say I'm marrying you one day. You're mine Tony, no one will ever care for you or make you happier than me."_

"_I know. Be my girl Iz, my girlfriend? Please?"_

"_Ok." She said it so soft I almost didn't hear her. I leaned down to see if she was going to say something else as she turned her head and we ended up kissing each other. We both jumped back quickly, I wanted to do it again._

_That summer we got good at kissing each other with our lips closed and everyone knew Izzy was my girl._

I set up the two tents I bought in case it does rain, this is Forks after all. I find myself almost wishing it would rain, a soft gentle rain. Iz loves the rain. I set up the table and chairs taking care of how they are positioned, if it rains I don't want them getting wet. As I move to the other tent to get everything ready my thoughts drift to our Senior Prom.

_Rosalie and Jasper Hale moved to Forks when we were in the 8__th__ grade. Emmett_ _was immediately smitten with Rosalie, she wouldn't give him the time of day. He would do everything he could think of to get her attention, she laughed and still refused to be his girlfriend. Izzy took mercy on him the summer after 8__th__ grade, he and Rose started 9__th__ grade as a couple and have been together ever since._

_Jasper developed a crush on Alice he thought none of us knew about, good luck with that. He was the only one that insisted she tag along with us and I saw the looks he gave her. Izzy kept me from beating the crap out of him when I caught the two of them under the bleachers junior year. They learned to keep that shit out of my face and double with Em and Rose if they wanted company on a date._

_Iz and I grew closer, and I hadn't thought that was possible, through high school. Different people tried to come between us but we stayed strong and made plans for the future. The physical side of our relationship progressed also. She loved when I fingered her while sucking on her clit and I loved that she had no gag reflex and could take all of me. Everything led up to the night of our Senior Prom._

_We had been named Prom King and Queen, that pissed Newton and Stanley off, and I had reserved us a room in Port Angeles. We hadn't decided that would be the night but we had both said we were ready. I wish it had been everything that is written about in romance novels but it wasn't. We were fine with the foreplay, we had had a lot of practice with that part, but the actual sex act left much to be desired. We were both nervous, I had to read the instructions on the condom box and even then I ripped the first two. Iz was so nervous, I'm sure more than need be, or she let on. God, she was so fucking tight, still is for that matter, I was the epitome of a two-pump chump. It was a typical first time between two teenagers. The next half dozen times weren't any better but at least we were able to laugh through it together. We did get better at it, eventually._

I palmed the hard on my memories caused, no time to take care of that now, I cast my eyes around at everything so far, perfect. I made my way back to my parents' house to get started on the food. As I followed my mother's directions to the letter for making pasta I let my thoughts drift again on how we arrived to today.

_After graduation Iz and I set out for Dartmouth, me for pre-med and Iz for pre-law. After freshman year we moved off campus and shared an apartment. Ro, Em, and Jasper went to U-Dub, that left Alice in high school for two more years. It was an adjustment, living together. Izzy learned I was a neat freak, she thought it had always been my mom, and I learned of her habit of peeling her clothes off the minute she walked in the door. I would have loved it except she left them wherever they fell. We made it work._

_After getting our bachelor's degrees I took Izzy on vacation to Paris. At the top of the Eiffel Tower with the sun setting in the background I asked her to marry me. She shut the lid on the 5-carat diamond, the one my sister swore she would love even though I had my doubts, shook her head and told me we needed to talk. I thought I was going to puke the entire walk back to the hotel. Iz knew I was freaking out too._

"_Tony," she said as soon as the door shut. "I want nothing more than to marry you, you know this. But this, she held up the ring box and point out to the Eiffel Tower, this isn't us. It does however have your sister written all over it." I looked down, she was right. I hadn't wanted to do it this way but Alice nagged and guilted me that I had to do something spectacular and this is what happened._

"_I'm not saying no. I am saying I want our married life together to start with the proposal. While I love Paris and being here with you, this isn't how our life will be. I want a proposal that comes from your heart, Tony. Open your heart to me and the answer is yes." That was two years ago._

"Everything under control for Bella's birthday dinner Edward?" I jump at my mother's question.

"Yeah, stuffing the pasta now." I tell her with a smile.

"Is this just a birthday dinner? You could have done this for her in Seattle."

"I know but she wanted to see everyone before things got too hectic for us. Unfortunately, that will be happening very soon. My internship starts in October and she starts with the firm in less than a week. It was now or not for a long time."

"Okay, it is sweet of you to do this for her." I nod as she leaves the kitchen, glad she didn't ask again if this is just a birthday dinner.

_After returning from Paris I started medical school as Iz started law school in Seattle. With a year of each under our belts I was ready to try again. Jasper happened to call when I was picking out a new ring. That one phone call snowballed into everyone trying to give me advice on how I should ask her to ensure she would say yes this time. I told them I didn't need help, I begged them to stay away, nothing worked._

_I quickly changed our flight from New York to Chicago in an attempt to throw them off, it didn't work. As much as I loved our friends they could be excessively pushy about things and always thought they knew what was best for everyone. Part of me wanted to scream at them that Iz and I had been together the longest out of all the couples and we knew what was best for us, unfortunately we had tried that before and they never listened. No wonder they broke up every six months._

_We had spent the day at Lake Michigan. The plan was to return to the hotel, have a romantic dinner in the room, then I was going to pop the question with the new 2-carat diamond ring that was in my suitcase. That was the plan._

_What happened was I opened the door to our room to see our friends there with a banner and cake that said Congratulations. I was furious, I hadn't even asked her yet and they were ruining things. Iz thought I had invited them as a way to tell her I had been accepted to the program at Northwestern. She knew it was the program I really wanted and was studying to take the Illinois Bar Exam so she could practice in Illinois if we moved. It wasn't until Rose and Alice pulled on her hand only to see no ring that it sunk in what was happening. After the initial shock wore off Iz was pissed and not at me. She sat everyone down and told them to back off._

"_I know you guys are excited about Edward and me getting engaged. However, you need to realize that if you had butted out a year ago we could have been married by now." She looked at Alice and Rose. "I do not want the type of proposal you guys do. Rings with huge diamonds and trips to Paris are not how I want this done. Edward knows me better than anyone and he knows what I like, what we like. Back off forcing your ideas onto him, if you don't I'll take him to Vegas and we'll just get married. I mean it."_

That wasn't the first time Iz told them to butt out of our lives and I'm sure it will happen many more times. It was what made me realize that if I wanted to do things my way and have her say yes, I would have to resort to lying. Her request to visit the family for her birthday presented an opportunity to good to pass up.

I finished with the food, packed everything into containers, and placed it in the car for the trip to the meadow. I patted my pocket to be sure I have the ring, a ring I knew she would love. As I drove over to Charlie's to pick her up I was surprised I wasn't nervous, if anything I was very confident. I knew she would say yes. This is what I should have done the first time instead of letting others influence me. I was a peacekeeper at heart, I hated conflict and they knew that about me.

Izzy must have been anxious because she walked out of the house before I put the car in park. God she was pretty, were my thoughts as she climbed in the Volvo. She was dressed casual, as requested, and comfortable in her broken in boots, low ride jeans, and blue sweater with her hair loose and touching the top of her jeans.

"Hey baby," she leaned over to kiss me. "Something smells good in here." She inhaled deeply. "Did you have Esme make mushroom ravioli?"

"No," I scoffed. "You don't turn 25 every day, **I **made you mushroom ravioli, among other things."

"Thank you Tony, I know it isn't your favorite."

"No, but it is yours and tonight is all about you Iz."

I could tell she was confused about where we were going until I turned onto the road that would end with the trail.

"We're going to the meadow?"

"I have a surprise for you there."

"I love the meadow."

"I know." I told her and wiggled my eyebrows at her. It was our safe place. The place we first tried beer, got stoned, she gave me my first blowjob, and I discovered that despite what the guys say in the locker room Izzy's pussy smelled like heaven and tasted even better.

Once I pulled off and parked, we loaded the food onto the golf cart. As we drove to the meadow I was pleasantly surprised to see that the solar lights I put along the path were working as the sun started to set. Hopefully the ones in the meadow were working too.

"Oh, Tony." We reached the meadow and the look on her face told me I had done good this time. "It's beautiful."

"Not as beautiful as you Isabella."

I sat her at the table and went about getting our plates ready and the wine that was chilling. I loaded my IPod with the Yiruma songs that she loved and joined her at the table.

"What did I do to warrant such a special dinner?" I could see the mischief in her eyes.

"You turned 25, ohh, 32 minutes ago, that's what you did." I told her looking at my watch. "And you fell in love with me, of course."

"Of course, I've loved you for 20 years Tony. You on the other hand were a bit slow to come around." We both laughed.

Dinner was great, I couldn't remember the last time we had the time to sit and enjoy each other's company like this. We were busy with school, then busy moving to Seattle, life was just…busy. We spent as much time together as our schedules allowed but the majority of that time was doing what needed to be done, not relaxing. This is relaxed and effortless, like things always are with us. The rational part of my brain knew it would be years before life slowed down for us but I was looking forward to evenings spent like this, but with my wife.

"Dance with me beautiful?" I ask as the song changed and The Platter's crooned out _Only You._

"You're the only one for me Isabella. I may have been slow to come around but you have always been the only one for me. Only you…my destiny." I pulled her close and softly sang along.

"You're my destiny Edward, you always have been. I love you so much."

"I love you Iz, more than I will ever be able to say."

I took her hand and led us over to the other tent, the one by the river that she hadn't noticed yet. A large, thick fur lay out over the grass and in the middle a pile of large, fluffy pillows waiting for us. Twinkle lights hung down on three sides, a fire pit sat off to the side waiting to be lit and a cashmere blanket was folded at the foot of the pillows should the weather turn cold. I heard her gasp as she took in everything.

"Tony," she sighed and placed her hand over her heart. "You are so good to me. I love it." She jumped in my arms before giving me a deep kiss.

"You deserve everything Angel, and so much more. I plan on spoiling you as much as you let me." I tell her as I lay her down on the pillows.

"This has been the best birthday Tony."

"It isn't over yet Iz." I tell her and begin to peel her out of her clothes. "I have big plans for us tonight."

"How big of plans?" She asks as her hand grazes my cock when she reaches for the button on my jeans.

"Really big." I tell her as I reach for her last piece of clothing, her thong, as she pulls my shirt off. "Bigger than ever if I do say so myself."

"I could be in trouble then, I don't think I'm capable of handling anything bigger." She giggled as she stroked my cock.

"You'll do fine, trust me." I told her as I pulled her nipple into my mouth and stopped our conversation.

We never have problems expressing our love with our bodies, but tonight felt more intense, on both our parts. I tried to show how much I love her with every touch, lick, and nip. I felt her love for me in all of her touches as well.

"Happy Birthday baby, I love you." I told her as I pushed into her warm, moist heat. Nothing on earth compared to being inside her, the way she wrapped me up inside her, I was safe and home.

"Love you," she gasps out as I set a slow pace.

She was willingly me to speed up by pulling me closer with her arms and legs. I rolled over so she could set the pace, bending my knees and propping myself on the pillows.

"God you are glorious Izzy." She whimpered and braced her hands on my chest.

"I want to tie you up in every way Iz." I panted out, as I felt her start to tighten around me. "Make it impossible to ever get rid of me."

"Yes Tony, yes." She called out as I pushed up into her and she was rolling her hips on the down stroke.

"You're mine Iz, forever." I knew we were both close. I used my hold on her hips to move us faster until I felt it…her walls fluttering, signaling the beginning for her climax.

"Forever," she shouted as she came and I followed two strokes later.

"I meant what I said Iz." I told her as she lay on my chest trying to catch her breath. I reached under the pillow to the box I placed there earlier.

"Marry me Iz, tie yourself to me permanently. No one will ever love you more, keep you safer, or think of your needs every second of every day more than me." As I spoke she sat up and braced herself on my chest again. I opened the ring box and took out the ring. As much as she tried to hide it I saw the smile in her eyes, and the one she was trying not to let break out on her face. She leaned closer to me and propped her face on her hands while her elbows, her bony elbows, were in the middle of my chest.

"Are you really proposing, with your grandmother's ring no less, the ring I love, while your cock is still inside me?"

"Yes." I was getting hard again and gave my dick a twitch, which made her laugh.

"Perfect, the answer was always yes Tony, it will always be yes."

I slid the ring on her finger. The ring my grandmother left me when she passed six months before. The ring that had been on her finger for over 60 years. The ring Isabella had always loved and saw as somewhat of a good luck charm. The 2-carat emerald surrounded by diamonds ring that I knew Alice was secretly pissed hadn't been left to her.

"I love this ring."

"I know. I think it was Gran's way of saying she thought we would be as happy as her and Pop were, a kind of blessing."

"I hope so, I love you." She leaned in to kiss me and I made love for the first time to my fiancée.

I woke to the alarm on my phone. Iz wrapped in my arms with her ring lying over my heart. As much as I loved the sight we needed to get going.

"Izzy, we need to get going baby. Your present isn't over yet." I loved waking her. She would snuggle in closer for a few moments before actually moving away.

"Already?"

"Yes. Emmett and Jasper agreed to clean all this up for me." That got her attention.

"They knew and actually let us alone?"

"No, everyone thinks this is just a birthday dinner, nothing more."

"Good. Although I have to admit I'm not looking forward to all the arguments that are waiting for me when it comes to actually planning the wedding. There is no way they will let me get away with the simple wedding we both want."

I smiled, glad she wasn't looking at me. "I may be able to help you with that, love." Her head popped up in shock. "But first we need to get dressed and out of here."

She questioned me all the way back to her house. The sight of her father waiting on the porch in front of several suitcases shut her up, for a moment anyway.

"I insist you two tell me what is happening." Iz declared giving us the stink eye as he climbed into the backseat.

"You haven't told her yet?" Charlie questioned.

"Nope."

"You a brave man Edward, a brave man." Charlie said with a long whistle.

"Not brave, stupid. Stupid, stupid man if he thinks there won't be payback for this." My irritated soon-to-be-wife muttered.

"You love me Iz, too much to hold a grudge for long."

The ride to Seattle was two parts hilarious and one part aggravated fiancée. She went from not talking to us, to ordering us to tell her what was happening, to begging to know, and then she started the cycle again. It was amusing to watch. She ran out of things to say as I pulled into long-term parking at the airport.

"If you want to know what is happening so bad, listen." I placed a call to my father's answering service.

"Yes, this is Edward Cullen, Dr. Cullen's son. I need a message delivered to him in two hours. Please let him know that the wedding is at 11 am tomorrow in the courtyard of the Venetian in Las Vegas." She read the message back to me for accuracy and confirmed I wanted her to wait two hours. "Yes, Ma'am that's correct. Thank you very much." I hung up and looked at Iz.

"You don't have to worry about the wedding baby, everything is already taken care of."

"Everything?"

"Yes, everything. Your dress, my tux, the ceremony and a small reception after, I took care of it all. This is the last flight out tonight, if they manage to catch the first one tomorrow they will arrive in Vegas 90 minutes before the wedding. Not enough time to interfere beforehand, we get the wedding we actually want and they can complain afterwards. I told your dad because he can keep his mouth shut and knew we would want something low-key."

"This is why I love this man." She told her father and he chuckled.

"Let's go get you two married." Charlie said and that's exactly what we did.


End file.
